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Brad Evans

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The Four Bells

     At five-thirty in the morning, four church bells tolled in the small township of Srenim-Sevil. The bells woke all the townsfolk from their helpless sleep and in their wakefulness, the bells spoke.

     The first bell said: ‘At 19 years, I am the youngest bell who tolls here. I am inexperienced and toll in a poor rhythm. Perhaps soon, my tolling will grow perfect.’

     The second bell spoke, and said: ‘At 30, I have somewhat grown with each of my days. I have perfected my rhythm, yet I still strive. My goal is to increase my strength in tolling. Perhaps soon, my tolling will grow perfect.’

     The third bell spoke, and said: ‘At 36, I toll with pride and have perfected both rhythm and strength. My goal is to now completely obey the hands that continue to guide and to perfect my tolling. Only then, my tolling will be perfect.

     And the final bell spoke, and said to the others: ‘At 48, I am the oldest bell and see where our errors now lie. The errors come not from us, but from chains and the hands that choke us.’

On that final note,
The four bells died. *

 

* On Thursday, November 14, 1996, four Newcastle miners drowned due to a management error at Gretley Colliery, one of the worst mining tragedies in the area for thirty years.

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